Although exact chemical mechanisms through which magnetic treatments produce changes in fluids do not appear to be completely understood, the changes are readily reproducible by known magnetic conditioning devices. Some of these devices use permanent magnets and others use electromagnets for producing magnetic fields. Conduits carry the fluids across magnetic field lines generated by the magnets. Thus, in addition to exposing the fluids to magnetic fields and thereby affecting magnetic dipoles in the fluids, the devices also provide relative motions between the fluids and magnetic fields, which induce electric fields in the fluids.
Recently, efforts have been made to increase the effectiveness of magnetic conditioning devices and to expand the kinds of benefits that can be obtained from magnetically treating fluids. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,479 to Stickler et al. discloses an electromagnetic water treating device that provides for inhibiting formation of scale and growth of algae, for eliminating taste and odor from water, and for providing corrosion protection. Improved efficiencies are obtained by circulating the water along a helical path that crosses magnetic lines of force at more points and at angles approaching ninety degrees. The helical path is defined by a baffle that also increases velocity of the water without diminishing its overall time of exposure to the magnetic fields.
Another magnetic conditioning device using a helical circulation of fluid for improving efficiencies is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,387 to Simoni. However, instead of using a baffle to circulate the fluid, opposite ends of Simoni's conditioner include lateral openings to induce a helical flow path with a relatively small pitch. Variations in flow rate are accommodated by selectively connecting two or more conditioners in series.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,901 issued to one of the inventors named jointly herein discloses an arrangement of permanent magnets that provides for focusing magnetic field energy within a conduit. The permanent magnets are encapsulated within a polypropylene casing that surrounds the conduit. Like magnetic poles of the magnets face the conduit, producing field boundaries that are concentrated within the conduit for exposing fluid flowing through the conduit to a higher amount of magnetic field energy. The arrangement of permanent magnets is particularly suitable for enhancing combustion of fuel.